By Sumayya
Local planners said on Friday that work for the Asian Cup is still on time to happen in Saudi Arabia early next year. They said this even though people are unsure about sports events in the country after recent attacks.
An attack on the main airport in Riyadh on Saturday killed at least 12 people and hurt more than 300 others. Yemen’s Houthi group said they did it, making it the worst attack in Saudi Arabia in over ten years.
Asian football leader Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said a few days ago that they could move the games to 2028 if they have to. However, the local planning team said they are still planning to stick to the first dates of January 7 to February 5.
The team said in an official note that work in all planning and running sections is moving forward on the agreed timeline, which includes work on the stadiums, buildings, and helpful services.
The planning team will keep watching any news that matters to the games. They will make sure that everything is correct and ready to hold a successful tournament.
The attacks on Riyadh have already changed the sports schedule in Saudi Arabia. The Six Kings Slam tennis matches have been shifted from October to December.
Also, FIFA and the Saudi Esports group put off the FIFAe Finals 2026 on Thursday until a later time that is not yet decided.
